2003 New Brunswick general election

Last updated
2003 New Brunswick general election
Flag of New Brunswick.svg
  1999 June 9, 2003 2006  

55 seats of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick
28 seats needed for a majority
Turnout68.67% [1]
 First partySecond partyThird party
  Bernard Lord crop.jpg Shawn Graham 2007 (cropped).JPG
NDP
Leader Bernard Lord Shawn Graham Elizabeth Weir
Party Progressive Conservative Liberal New Democratic
Leader since199720021988
Leader's seat Moncton East Kent Saint John Harbour
Last election44101
Seats won28261
Seat changeDecrease2.svg16Increase2.svg16Steady2.svg
Popular vote174,092170,02836,989
Percentage45.4%44.4%9.7%
SwingDecrease2.svg7.6%Increase2.svg7.1%Increase2.svg0.9%

Nb2003.PNG
Map of New Brunswick's ridings coloured in based on the winning parties and their popular vote

Premier before election

Bernard Lord
Progressive Conservative

Premier after election

Bernard Lord
Progressive Conservative

Rendition of party representation in the 55th New Brunswick Legislative Assembly decided by this election.
.mw-parser-output .legend{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .legend-color{display:inline-block;min-width:1.25em;height:1.25em;line-height:1.25;margin:1px 0;text-align:center;border:1px solid black;background-color:transparent;color:black}.mw-parser-output .legend-text{}
Progressive Conservatives (28)
Liberals (26)
New Democrats (1) Nb-seating-2003.png
Rendition of party representation in the 55th New Brunswick Legislative Assembly decided by this election.
  Progressive Conservatives (28)
  Liberals (26)
  New Democrats (1)

The 2003 New Brunswick general election was held on June 9, 2003, to elect 55 members to the 55th New Brunswick Legislative Assembly. Although polls initially suggested a landslide victory for Premier Bernard Lord's Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick, the dynamics of the race shifted after Shawn Graham, leader of the Liberal Party of New Brunswick, took on auto insurance rates as a key issue of his campaign. Lord and the Progressive Conservatives were ultimately re-elected by a narrow margin of just 2 seats.

Contents

Campaign

Leading up to the election, New Brunswick its car insurance rates skyrocket. The Liberal Party of New Brunswick consequently focused its campaign on three points:

  1. improved universal health care,
  2. keeping the province's electric utility, NB Power, as a public crown corporation, and
  3. the lowering of automobile insurance rates.

On the other hand, the campaign of Premier Bernard Lord and his Progressive Conservative Party faced a number of problems, especially after changing its position on the key issue of auto insurance several times during the 30-day campaign.

The results were very close, and for most of election night as the results came in, the winner was unclear. Shawn Graham was even heard to remark on television as the night was drawing to a close that "Up to 5 minutes ago, I thought I was Premier". [2]

New Democratic Party of New Brunswick leader Elizabeth Weir was the only member of her party to win a seat. The party ran 55 candidates throughout the province.

The newly founded but short-lived New Brunswick Grey Party, a branch of the Grey Party of Canada, also ran 10 candidates, including party leader Jim Webb.

Results

Results by party

Summary of the 2003 Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick election results
PartyParty leader# of
candidates
SeatsPopular vote
1999 Dissolution Elected% Change#%Change
Progressive Conservative Bernard Lord 55444628-39.1%174,09245.45%-7.6%
Liberal Shawn Graham 5510726+271%170,02844.39%+7.1%
New Democratic Elizabeth Weir 55111-36,9899.66%+0.9%
Grey Jim Webb 10n/a1-- 1,5500.40%n/a1
 Independent2--- 4150.11%-0.1%
 Vacant1 
Total177555555-383,074100%
Source: http://www.gnb.ca/elections

1 The Grey Party did not contest the 1999 election.

Popular vote
PC
45.45%
Liberal
44.39%
New Democratic
9.66%
Others
0.50%
Seats summary
PC
50.91%
Liberal
47.27%
New Democratic
1.82%

Results by region

Party NameNorth
NB
East
NB
S. East
NB
Greater
Saint John/
Fundy Coast
Greater
Fred.
Upper
Saint John River
Valley
Total
  Progressive
Conservative
Seats:23864528
 Popular Vote:45.9%42.4%49.5%39.8%42.1%55.1%45.4%
  Liberal Seats:85254226
 Popular Vote:47.7%50.2%42.0%41.0%44.3%40.6%44.4%
  New
Democratic
Seats:---1--1
 Popular Vote:6.4%7.4%7.9%17.2%13.4%4.3%9.7%
Total seats:10810128755
Parties that won no seats:
Grey Popular Vote:--0.3%1.8%0.2%-0.4%
 IndependentsPopular Vote:--0.3%0.3%--0.1%

Candidates

Party leaders and cabinet ministers are denoted in bold.

Northern New Brunswick

Electoral districtCandidatesIncumbent
PCLiberalNDPOther
1. Restigouche West Benoît Cyr 2,523 Burt Paulin 4,008Antoine Duguay 257 Benoît Cyr
2. Campbellton Jean F. Dubé 2,771 Roy Boudreau 3,979Murray Mason 294  Jean F. Dubé
3. Dalhousie-Restigouche East Paul McIntyre 3,088 Donald Arseneault 3,445Joel Hickey 645  Dennis Furlong
4. Nigadoo-Chaleur Hermel Vienneau 3,529 Roland Haché 3,887Kate Hayward 380 Roland Haché
5. Bathurst Nancy MacKay 3,252 Brian Kenny 3,348Mark Robar 304  Marcelle Mersereau
6. Nepisiguit Joel Bernard 2,200 Frank Branch 3,498Normand Savoie 894 Joel Bernard
7. Caraquet Gaston Moore 3,550 Hédard Albert 3,649Gérard Béland 457 Gaston Moore
8. Lamèque-Shippagan-Miscou Paul Robichaud 4,788Denis Roussel 2,846Jean-Baptiste Bezeau 335 Paul Robichaud
9. Centre-Péninsule Louis-Philippe McGraw 3,045 Denis Landry 3,097Rose Duguay 396 Louis-Phillipe McGraw
10. Tracadie-Sheila Elvy Robichaud 4,583Weldon McLaughlin 2,894Stéphane Richardson 661 Elvy Robichaud

Eastern New Brunswick

Electoral districtCandidatesIncumbent
PCLiberalNDPOther
11. Miramichi Bay Réjean Savoie 3,050 Carmel Robichaud 3,227Hilaire Rouselle 729 Réjean Savoie
12. Miramichi-Bay du Vin Michael Malley 3,917Frank Trevors 3,464Dwayne Hancock 490 Michael Malley
13. Miramichi Centre Kim Jardine 3,149 John Foran 3,763Lance Lyons 663 Kim Jardine
14. Southwest Miramichi Norman Betts 2,823 Rick Brewer 3,395Chris Ashford 332 Norman Betts
15. Rogersville-Kouchibouguac Rose-May Poirier 3,289Maurice Richard 2,968Oscar Doucet 404 Rose-May Poirier
16. Kent Valmond Joseph Daigle 1,905 Shawn Graham 3,615Jerry Cook 958 Shawn Graham
17. Kent South Claude Williams 4,933Stephen Doucet 4,065Neil Gardner 671 Claude Williams
18. Shediac-Cap-Pélé Odette Babineau 3,063 Bernard Richard 6,464Claudette Beland 313 Bernard Richard

Southeastern New Brunswick

Electoral districtCandidatesIncumbent
PCLiberalNDPOther
19. Tantramar Peter Mesheau 2,922Susan Purdy 1,569Geoff Martin 522 Peter Mesheau
20. Dieppe-Memramcook Cy LeBlanc 5,541Elie Richard 5,451Hélène Lapointe 786 Cy LeBlanc
21. Moncton East Bernard Lord 4,177Chris Collins 3,113Jean-Marie Nadeau 724 Bernard Lord
22. Moncton South Joan MacAlpine 3,143Norman Branch 2,710Stéphane Drysdale 437Jean-Marc Dugas (Ind.) 226
John Gallant (Grey) 72
Joan MacAlpine
23. Moncton North René Landry 3,054 Mike Murphy 3,555Nancy McBain 543 René Landry
24. Moncton Crescent John Betts 4,230Ray Goudreau 3,776Richard Goulding 628 John Betts
25. Petitcodiac Wally Stiles 3,481Bethany Dykstra 1,849Tracy Trott 298Dan Leaman (Grey) 120Wally Stiles
26. Riverview Bruce Fitch 3,794Ward White 3,287John Falconer 391 vacant
27. Albert Wayne Steeves 3,198Clark Butland 2,311Pat Pearson 457 Wayne Steeves
28. Kings East Doug Cosman 2,713 Leroy Armstrong 3,169George Horton 996 Doug Cosman

Greater Saint John & Fundy Coast

Electoral districtCandidatesIncumbent
PCLiberalNDPOther
29. Hampton-Belleisle Bev Harrison 3,392Bob Bates 2,736 Pat Hanratty 1,336John Hughes (Grey) 208Bev Harrison
30. Kennebecasis Brenda Fowlie 3,265Murray Driscoll 3,247Kenneth Wilcox 970 Brenda Fowlie
31. Saint John-Fundy Rodney Weston 2,271 Stuart Jamieson 2,698Liam Freill 517Marjorie MacMurray (Grey) 172Rodney Weston
32. Saint John-Kings Margaret-Ann Blaney 3,135Tom Young 2,456Jeff Thibodeau 791Mark LeBlanc (Grey) 145Margaret-Ann Blaney
33. Saint John Champlain Mel Vincent 1,501 Roly MacIntyre 2,160Ralph Thomas 1,507Bill Richard Reid (Grey) 223 Carole Keddy
34. Saint John Harbour Dennis Boyle 1,286Anne-Marie Mullin 1,231 Elizabeth Weir 1,929 Elizabeth Weir
35. Saint John Portland Trevor Holder 2,436Colleen Knudson 2,307Mary Arseneau 1,191 Trevor Holder
36. Saint John Lancaster Norm McFarlane 2,633 Abel LeBlanc 2,942Walter Lee 1,365 Jim Webb (Grey) 170Norm McFarlane
37. Grand Bay-Westfield Milt Sherwood 2,209Kevin Quinn 1,991Percy Ward 556Ben Perry (Grey) 193
Colby Fraser (Ind.) 189
Milt Sherwood
38. Charlotte Sharon Tucker 1,573 Rick Doucet 2,777Patty Hooper 1,149Harold Smith (Grey) 118 Sheldon Lee
39. Fundy Isles Burton Flynn 1,124 Eric Allaby 1,359Dick Grant 94 Eric Allaby
40. Western Charlotte Tony Huntjens 2,854Madeleine Drummie 2,662Andrew Graham 554 Tony Huntjens

Greater Fredericton

Electoral districtCandidatesIncumbent
PCLiberalNDPOther
41. Oromocto-Gagetown Jody Carr 4,314Maurice Harquail 2,140Terry Hovey 392James Lee (Grey) 129Jody Carr
42. Grand Lake David Jordan 2,058 Eugene McGinley 4,376David Babineau 614 David Jordan
43. Fredericton North D. Peter Forbes 3,211 T.J. Burke 4,163Dennis Atchison 1,418 D. Peter Forbes
44. Fredericton-Fort Nashwaak Eric MacKenzie 2,364 Kelly Lamrock 2,925Penny Ericson 1,531 Eric MacKenzie
45. Fredericton South Brad Green 3,309Misty McLaughlin 2,797Nan Luke 1,832 Brad Green
46. New Maryland Keith Ashfield 3,719 Joan Kingston 3,502Kay Nandlall 923 Keith Ashfield
47. York Don Kinney 3,278 Scott Targett 3,783Gary Hughes 618 Don Kinney
48. Mactaquac Kirk MacDonald 3,337Ray Dillon 3,236Phillip Morgan 817 Kirk MacDonald

Upper Saint John River Valley

Electoral districtCandidatesIncumbent
PCLiberalNDPOther
49. Woodstock David Alward 4,605Lorne Drake 2,400Nancy Reid 286 David Alward
50. Carleton Dale Graham 4,190Grant Robinson 2,287Betty Brown 482 Dale Graham
51. Victoria-Tobique Dennis Campbell 2,001 Larry Kennedy 3,386Harvey Bass 502 Larry Kennedy
52. Grand Falls Region Jean-Guy Laforest 2,586 Ron Ouellette 4,385Pierre Cyr 192 Jean-Guy Laforest
53. Madawaska-la-Vallée Percy Mockler 3,858Claude Malenfant 1,848Mario Fortunato 201 Percy Mockler
54. Edmundston Madeleine Dubé 3,917Margot Albert 1,841Blair McInnis 110  Madeleine Dubé
55. Madawaska-les-Lacs Jeannot Volpé 3,965Louis LaBrie 2,391Jason Carney 187 Jeannot Volpé

See also

Related Research Articles

Bernard Lord Canadian politician

Bernard Lord is a Canadian lawyer, business executive and former politician. He served as the 30th premier of New Brunswick from 1999 to 2006. Lord was appointed as board chair of Ontario Power Generation in 2014.

2003 Nova Scotia general election

The 2003 Nova Scotia general election was held on August 5, 2003 to elect members of the 59th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. The ruling Progressive Conservative Party, led by Premier John Hamm, was reduced to a minority government.

Shawn Graham Canadian politician

Shawn Michael Graham is a Canadian politician, who served as the 31st premier of New Brunswick from 2006 to 2010. He was elected leader of the New Brunswick Liberal Party in 2002 and became premier after his party captured a majority of seats in the 2006 election. After being elected, Graham initiated a number of changes to provincial policy especially in the areas of health care, education and energy. His party was defeated in the New Brunswick provincial election held September 27, 2010, and Graham resigned as Liberal leader on November 9, 2010.

New Brunswick Liberal Association Political party in Canada

The New Brunswick Liberal Association, more popularly known as the New Brunswick Liberal Party or Liberal Party of New Brunswick, is one of the two major provincial political parties in New Brunswick, Canada. The party descended from both the Confederation Party and the Anti-Confederation Party whose members split into left-wing and right-wing groups following the creation of Canada as a nation in 1867.

2004 Conservative Party of Canada leadership election

The 2004 Conservative Party of Canada leadership election took place on March 20, 2004, in Toronto, Ontario, and resulted in the election of Stephen Harper as the first leader of the new Conservative Party of Canada. The Conservative Party was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada, in December 2003.

Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick Political party of New Brunswick, Canada

The Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick is a centre-right, conservative political party in the Canadian province of New Brunswick. The party has its origins in the pre-Canadian confederation Conservative Party that opposed the granting of responsible government to the colony. It has historically followed the Red Tory tradition. The Progressive Conservative Party currently leads the provincial government since 2018 under Premier Blaine Higgs.

Bernard Valcourt, is a Canadian politician and lawyer, who served as Member of Parliament for the electoral district of Madawaska—Restigouche, New Brunswick until he was defeated in the 2015 federal election.

Bernard Richard is a Canadian social worker, lawyer, and politician in the Province of New Brunswick.

2006 New Brunswick general election

The 2006 New Brunswick general election was held on September 18, 2006, to elect 55 members to the 56th New Brunswick Legislative Assembly, the governing house of the province of New Brunswick, Canada.

Kelly Lamrock is a lawyer and political consultant in the province of New Brunswick, Canada. He was previously a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick for Fredericton-Fort Nashwaak, and Minister of Social Development in the New Brunswick cabinet before opening Lamrock's Law in Fredericton.

Trevor Holder Canadian politician

Trevor Arthur Holder, is a New Brunswick politician. He is currently a member of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick representing the electoral district of Portland-Simonds and a government MLA, additionally he is currently the longest serving member of the legislative assembly, unusual as most of the longest serving members in a legislative body tend to be much older.

Restigouche-La-Vallée was a provincial electoral district in New Brunswick, Canada.

55th New Brunswick Legislature

The 55th New Brunswick Legislative Assembly was created following a general election in 2003 and was dissolved on August 18, 2006.

56th New Brunswick Legislature

The 56th New Brunswick Legislative Assembly was created following a general election in 2006. Its members were sworn-in on October 3, 2006 but it was called into session by the Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick on February 6, 2007.

54th New Brunswick Legislature

The 54th New Brunswick Legislative Assembly was created following a general election in 1999 and was dissolved on May 10, 2003.

2010 New Brunswick general election

The 2010 New Brunswick general election was held on September 27, 2010, to elect 55 members to the 57th New Brunswick Legislative Assembly, the governing house of the province of New Brunswick, Canada. The incumbent Liberal government won 13 seats, while the opposition Progressive Conservatives won a landslide majority of 42 seats in the legislature. As leader of the PC party, David Alward became New Brunswick's 32nd premier.

The Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick held a leadership election in 2008, following the resignation of Bernard Lord on December 13, 2006. The Conservatives had last had a leadership election in 1997.

Politics of New Brunswick Overview of politics in New Brunswick

New Brunswick has had, since the Legislative Council was abolished by an act passed on 16 April 1891, a unicameral legislature called the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick with 49 seats. The legislature functions according to the Westminster system of government. Elections are now held at least every five years but may be called at any time by the lieutenant governor on consultation with the premier.

2014 New Brunswick general election

The 2014 New Brunswick general election was held on September 22, 2014, to elect 49 members to the 58th New Brunswick Legislative Assembly, the governing house of the province of New Brunswick, Canada.

Brian Gallant Canadian politician

Brian Alexander Gallant is a Canadian politician who served as the 33rd premier of New Brunswick from October 7, 2014 until November 9, 2018. Of Acadian and Dutch descent, Gallant practised as a lawyer before winning the Liberal leadership in October 2012, securing the riding of Kent in a by-election on April 15, 2013, shortly followed by his swearing in as Leader of the Opposition. After the 2014 election, in which the Progressive Conservative government of David Alward was defeated, Gallant was sworn in as Premier at the age of 32.

References

  1. Elections New Brunswick, Canada (February 5, 2014). "Provincial Election Results - Elections NB". www.electionsnb.ca.
  2. "New Brunswick Votes 2003". CBC. 2003-06-10. Archived from the original on 2004-02-15.

Further reading